Show of force

With approval rating of a measly 14 percent and an economy that has one of the slowest rates in Asia last year, Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou is obviously recovering his lost ground. Alas, he succeeded by grandstanding over the tragic incident that killed a Taiwanese fisherman last May 9 in Batanes waters. 

President Ma found a way out of his people’s indignation over the economic doldrums that sparked the January protests in Taipei and in key cities that triggered the resignation of former Taiwanese Premier Sean Chen. Unfortunately, it was at the expense of an incident that happened in overlapping territorial waters between the Philippine and Taiwan.

A patrol boat of the Philippine Coast Guard-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) fired at the errant Taiwanese boat that strayed into the waters claimed by both sides in Balintang Channel.

 Following the incident, the Taiwan President recalled their Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) man in the Philippines.  When TECO representative Raymund Wang — who has been most hardworking in their diplomatic front — left his post here, Taiwan sent to Manila last week an investigating team even without notice to Philippine authorities.

Chen Wen-chi, head of the Taiwanese investigating team came un-invited. In a press conference they called before leaving Manila last Saturday, Chen disclosed the Taiwan-flagged fishing vessel was shot with 45 bullets. Earlier, they claimed they recovered 59 bullets. They said “Philippine law enforcers were intentionally shooting the Guang Ta Hsin (fishing vessel) 28 crew members, which indicates their intent of murder.”

A 65-year-old Taiwanese fisherman on board was hit by one or more of these bullets. We don’t know how many bullets exactly because Taiwanese authorities probing the incident refused to share any information on their autopsy of the victim. Based on medical evidence, Chen eventually admitted the manner of death of the fisherman was considered “homicide.”

Guided by our government’s one-China policy, President Benigno “Noy” Aquino III had already expressed his “personal” apology — verbally and in writing – to the family of the slain Taiwanese fisherman. As we all know, one-China policy recognizes Taiwan as only a province of the People’s Republic of China.

P-Noy had also asked the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) to make unspecified donations to the family of the slain fisherman. But even P-Noy’s personal emissary, MECO chief Amadeo Perez who flew to Taipei last week to do this errand was prevented from doing so by some of these Taiwanese bullies.

Despite all of these, Mr. Ma refused the public apology and demanded that P-Noy apologize “in behalf of the Philippine government.” David Chen, Wang’s assistant in TECO, explained this was because the shooting was committed by Philippine coast guards who are government personnel.

But Taiwan officials are simply squeezing blood (pardon the borrowed idiom) from this sorry incident to push the Philippines into obliquely recognizing Taiwan as a state.

Ma threatened economic sanctions if President Aquino didn’t meet their four demands: to apologize; compensate the family; to agree to talks on disputed fishing zones; and to conduct a joint investigation into this incident. The  Philippines agreed to all the demands except a government apology. President Aquino apologized already on behalf of the Filipino people in line with our one-China policy that allows people to people contact.

Ma rejected it outright. Within 24 hours, his government began military exercises off its southern coast; issue a “red travel” advisory to stop Taiwanese from coming to the Philippines and froze the hiring of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

According to the Pilipino Manpower Agencies Accredited to Taiwan Inc. (Pilmat), there are actually some 120,000 OFWs in Taiwan. The bulk of our OFWs work in electronic factories — and are helping boost Taiwan’s huge dollar surplus — and the rest are caregivers taking care of the elderly in that country.

In 2011 alone, records showed 32,000 OFWs were deployed to Taiwan. Just imagine what would happen to the economy of Taiwan that is currently on the downswing if our OFWs leave en masse. But that’s an exaggeration.     

Our OFWs are mostly employed in construction, manufacturing and households. They are all made to work up to 18 hours per day but get paid less than the Taiwanese.

Among the skilled workers in Taiwanese information technology firms and construction firms, Filipino engineers are considered the best.

But factory laborers earn $638 a month. Our caregivers, on the other hand, earn the equivalent of $530 per month. Both are, however, below average wages for Taiwan. Our OFWs in Taiwan roughly remit $2 billion annually.

According to Pilmat, Taiwan’s decision to freeze the processing of working visas for Filipinos would immediately hurt 6,000 OFWs who were earlier processed for deployment there. With the suspension, the Philippines could also lose an estimated P180 million in monthly remittances from these OFWs.

Taiwan, according to investment bank Barclays Capital, attracted a notable $5 billion in foreign direct investment over the past four months. But its birth rate has been falling, and at one child per woman, now ranks as one of the world’s lowest. Thus, Taiwan is an ageing society like many industrialized economies badly in need of able-bodied workers and a lot of caregivers.

Ask any Taiwanese businessman or employer who prefers to employ Filipinos because of their skill, work ethic and dedication. Taiwan needs our workers. They are vital cogs in Taiwan’s engine of economic development and economic growth.

  Mr. Ma’s saber-rattling is obviously already getting on P-Noy’s nerves. The Commander-in-chief, speaking at the Philippine Navy anniversary yesterday, asserted the Philippines can capably defend itself amid Taiwan’s military taunting.

Incidentally, two Taiwanese Mirage fighter jets have crashed one after the other last week while on military exercise. Without the Philippines firing a single bullet, the two Taiwanese jets figured in crash accidents while in a show of force after the Batanes incident.